


Captain of Hollywood

by anonlytree



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Captain of Hollywood, M/M, This is nowhere near ready to be posted and might take a while, but Argentina couldn't give you a good birthday so I hope to make up for the hurt, but Em doesn't care so I'm stealing it, technically not my idea
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 05:26:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15112724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonlytree/pseuds/anonlytree
Summary: AU in which Julio Medem gets his way.





	Captain of Hollywood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Anaile20GH](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anaile20GH/gifts).



"My Captain wiped the floor with your Captain," Daniel Craig gloats, dragging him to the chaotic Liverpool dressing room.

Xabi doesn't argue, he's seen his childhood friend Mikel Arteta about five times in the past two decades, today's Merseyside derby included. Besides, it's true, despite the 2-2 scoreline. He may have left professional football behind at age 10, but he can still tell when a midfielder makes that split second decision that changes everything. That spark that's impossible to define. His eyes had not left the man in red for 94 minutes. He still feels guilty about jumping to his feet, contaminated by Daniel's mad reaction to his Captain's extra time equalizer. He'll catch up with Mikel later, sounding detached and appropriately blase about spending the game in the VIP Liverpool lodge with James Bond. He'll try to pretend that he's just a normal guy with a César and two Golden Bear-winning credits to his name who somehow ended up hanging awkwardly behind a Hollywood star in a room full of jubilant, half-naked men.

This is when Daniel steps aside, as if he's just remembered the overdressed spectator to his infatuation with Steven Gerrard, who is wearing a blue towel wrapped around his hips and his Captain's armband.

"This here is my new baddie," Daniel says, and Xabi does his best to keep his eyes to Steven's face as Daniel Craig goes through the introductions. It's possible that he's warning his Captain to keep it under wraps, no spoilers. He might have also mentioned the Arteta connection to Steven, but Xabi's comprehension of English is suddenly impaired.

"Hope you weren't too disappointed for your mate. We haven't lost to them here since the 90s, it wasn't happening on my watch," Steven says, sliding his palms down the back of his towel to make 100% percent sure it stays in place.

"Uh... No, I... Not at all," Xabi mumbles, this time failing to not look at the droplets of maybe-water maybe-sweat peacefully sliding down Steven's stomach. "Great uh... game."

All of Xabi's method deserts him completely.

 _Fuck's sakes_ , he hears a panicked voice, that voice that's never quiet at the back of his head. Stanislavski must be rolling in his grave right now.

 

"There's this big do at Beckham's next week, right before England's friendly in the US," Daniel says when they're back in the studio jet on their way South. "I could make sure he's there," he adds, apropos of nothing and Xabi has the decency to not act like he has no idea what he's talking about, although he keeps his eyes glued to the Bloomberg Business Week on his lap.

"We start filming next week, you as... yourself will cease to exist to me. I don't socialize during a shoot."

So Daniel's heard. Most comments regarding his European co-star include at least an anecdote of the insane lenghts Xabi will go to in the name of method acting. He's quiet and every bit as intense as they paint him out to be, but Daniel can't help but like the guy.

"I won't tell David Mamet if you won't. What if we go in character? Black tie if you want, we could practice for the embassy reception scene," he promises and starts texting Victoria, the real master of ceremony.

"Fine, but don't expect me to be good company, my mind will be focused on all the ways I'm supposed to be trying to kill you for the next four months," Xabi says, grateful for his beard camouflaging the blood rising to his cheeks.

 

tbc

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday, Eli! Te quiero, boluda. Sorry about dumping this from a draft on my phone before it's ready. Kun and I are doing all we can...
> 
> Uhm. Right. In case anybody else reads this (super early DRAFT): Julio Medem wanted to cast freckly, ginger nightmare baby Xabi in an artsy movie after spotting him on the beach in San Sebastian, but his mother says No. This is an AU in which she reluctantly said Yes and he grows up to be the new Bond villain.


End file.
